Police: Stabbing suspect clashed with landlord

Police: Stabbing suspect clashed with landlord

A Baton Rouge man fatally shot this week after he attacked two police officers with a knife had been “out of control” and causing problems with his landlord when the officers sought to intervene, a police spokesman said Wednesday.

Cpl. Donald Johnson, 42, and Officer Brian Strong, 29, were wounded in the attack at 129 N. 24th St., but have since been released from the hospital, Cpl. L’Jean McKneely said.

The landlord had been having recurring problems with Etheredge, McKneely said, causing the landlord to become fearful of Etheredge. McKneely did not identify the landlord.

“Apparently he had gone over there one time before to collect his rent and they got into it,” McKneely said. “He was having problems with him being loud and disruptive, so he called police over there to be the mediator.

“When we got there,” he added, “that’s when things went haywire.”

McKneely said both officers received stitches after being cut. One was stabbed in the back of the head, he said, while the other was stabbed in the neck.

The officers will remain on paid administrative leave as the Police Department investigates the officer-involved shooting.

“We check everything,” McKneely said. “We release them back to duty when they feel fit to come back. We don’t rush anybody back.”

Court records show the stabbing was not Etheredge’s first run-in with law enforcement officials. In January 2008, he pleaded guilty to possession of drug paraphernalia and was given a six-month prison sentence with credit for time served, records show.

A few months later, he pleaded guilty to illegal possession of a stolen firearm and was sentenced to two years in state prison with credit for time served.